The scanner that built a bra

This article was taken from the October 2011 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.

If your underwear fits, you may want to thank Artec. The company makes laser scanners that turn real-world objects into accurate computer representations -- and lingerie designers are using it to map the female form. The handheld scanner beams a grid of light on to the body and a camera captures pattern changes as the device is moved.

A computer analyses 500,000 surface points per second and creates a

3D shape. But it's not all corsetry; the Luxembourg-based firm also sells the $15,000 (£9,000) scanners to engineers and excavators. "In Europe, archaeologists have two options if they unearth something," explains Artec's CMO Sergey Suhovey, 34. "They can put it in official storage or put it back in the exact same position." Scanning dig sites creates a precise map of where objects were found.

This article was first published in the October 2011 issue of WIRED magazine